~ Freedom and Natural Law

Monthly Archives: August 2013

I have been MIA for a few weeks. Sorry. Won’t happen again. Anyway, I have been super busy with … stuff… Soon I plan to wrap up some older serials and get into some new and interesting topics. A few requests are being worked on too. Hang on. In the meantime, let’s have a look at the news of late:

I have never been to the Missouri State Fair. Anyway, the only clown I’m worried about is the one in the Whitehouse.

Anthony Gucciardi wrote an article recently, The Government is Now god to Many. I’ve hinted around this sad concept in the past; I may have to devote a decent entry in the future. The Obama angle doesn’t concern me so much as the overall “religious” truth of the matter. More later, perhaps.

Hear the drums? Just in time for football season, and following the smash, lightening-fast successes in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. and Britain are preparing for imminent war with Syria! It seems Bashar al-Assad or someone used chemical weapons in Ohio or Liverpool or somewhere. Details are not important. Corporate profits are important! My sources tell me this is one of five or so “wars” we could enter at a moments notice (Syria, Iran, Canada, etc.). Get your flags and yellow ribbons ready.

As promised I managed a great twofer this weekend: Cigars On Deck (yesterday) and Doctor Who On Taxes (moments ago). I think the old blog is coming back! Those big changes for the better are still in the works as are various purchasable works of literary performance (books). Stay tuned for those. I will also be returning to articles concerning Natural Law and anarcho-libertarian political thought very soon. I have series to finish concerning the Second Amendment and Slavery in America – remember those?

In the meantime, here are a few more news stories:

Roger Roots just wrote an excellent article on jury nullification and the Federal Courts, United States v. Dougherty, 473 F.2d 1113 (D.C. Cir. 1972), etc.: Must Convict! Check it out to see what we’re up against these days in the Just-Us system.

And, another thing – I thought al-CIA-da was our friend now. At least in Libya and Syrian and maybe kinda sorta in Kabul. Gee whiz…

Lastly, I sometimes praise the work of my friend, Will Grigg, here and elsewhere. Will wages a tireless war for freedom at his site, Pro Liberate. Please click on that last link and pay him a visit. He also does a radio show on the Liberty News Radio network: schedule. Please kindly give Will your attention and support; he fights for you every day!

Recently, for reasons which will remain classified, my mind wandered back to my childhood and late night viewings of Doctor Who on the BBC (via PBS). Through the magic of the internet one thing lead to another and I stumbled upon the following gem of cheap sci-fi anarchy. Enjoy.

In 1977 (Nov 26, 1977 to be exact) there was a Doctor Who episode called “The Sun Makers.” Tom Baker played the Doctor back then. Polls I found on-line say he is by far the most popular Doctor of all time as well as the longest tenured. He’s certainly the version I recall. I found a few video segments of the Sun Makers as well as the entire episode transcript. I vaguely remember the show – mostly as semi-decent entertainment. Now, having read the transcript, I am blown away by the trenchant social commentary

The Doctor and his companion, Leela (more on her in a moment), arrive on Pluto in the distant future. It seems that sometime between now and then the Earth becomes worn out and uninhabitable. In humanity’s darkest hour an alien race of inter-galactic Shylocks come along and move humans to a rehabilitated Mars – for a price. A high price. Soon Mars is worn out and the show moves to Pluto which, thanks to the malevolent aliens, has artificial suns (hence the name).

When the Doctor arrives humans work in mines and live is large, futuristic cities where they are literally taxed to death by “The Company,” an outfit run by a greedy little alien named “The Collector” (of taxes…). The Collector employs “The Gatherer” as a sidekick henchman.

Everything is taxed on future Pluto: incomes, medicine, other taxes, even death. It almost sounds as bad as the USSA. In fact, the people’s interactions with The Gatherer seem just like current relations with the IRS. At the beginning of the show some poor sap is pleading with The Gatherer about a tax debt. The Gatherer insists the man work double shifts and do without sleep until the debt is paid. Poor sap: “It will kill me!” Gatherer: “You complain too much.”

On future Pluto “The Company” is synonymous with “government.” The Company serves as employer, lender, and civil authority for all. Pluto is a giant “company town” from which there is no escape. The Plutonians have come to literally worship the Company like a god. The dialogue is thoroughly peppered with constant statements of adoration towards the great alien “benefactor” – “praise the company,” God save the company,” and so on. It reminds me of the way modern Amerikans veritably worship the federal government as a god.

The Doctor arrives just in time to stop the afore-mentioned sap from committing suicide by jumping off a high roof. The distressed man explains the terrible situation to the Doctor.

(You’re taxing my Tardis?! What the…. BBC.)

The Doctor explains the man’s plight to Leela: “He can’t make ends meet. Probably too many economists in the government.” By the way, Leela was a beautiful and intelligent “savage” the Doctor picked up on one of his adventures. She came along between Sarah Jane Smith and the two Ramonas. She was like a Xena prototype.

(Go on. You were extolling the “benefits” of government… BBC.)

Leela immediately catches on the semi-divine perception of The Company: “These taxes, they are like sacrifices to tribal gods?” The Doctor responds, accurately: “Well, roughly speaking, but paying tax is more painful.”

Leela then issues one of the most succinct and wonderful solutions ever stated with regards to the universal problem of taxation: “Then the people should rise up and slaughter their oppressors!”

(Yeeeeeah. Before there was Xena, there was Leela. BBC.)

At the time of the Doctor’s arrival a rebellion is already forming in the Plutonian underworld. With a little help from the old sonic screwdriver the movement is a smash success. The good people of Pluto take Leela’s advice literally. Immediately below is a picture of The Gatherer seconds before he is thrown off the roof of a skyscraper by several of his former victims. Look at the face on than arrogant tax-o-mite.

(The taxman falleth … off the roof… BBC.)

On future Pluto, just like current Earth, the only certainties in life are death and taxes. Watch the following clip of The Gatherer’s last ride as one begets the other: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5cC__bBM1A. I’m still laughing. This is reminiscent of our fore-fathers tarring and feathering the taxman and running him out on a rail. At least, modern Amerikans would do well to so reminisce.

In the next video, the Doctor confronts the “blood-sucking leech” in charge (The Collector): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9emqnRpYoU. Upon learning his little empire has crumbled, The Collector reverts back to his natural state – a little piece of green slime. He promptly and simply imprisoned in a box. This strategy would likely work well with members of Congress.

Saved by the cunning of the Doctor and by their own courage, the people of Pluto set out to re-colonize Earth, which has apparently healed itself in the intervening years. One has to hope they choose, this time, to forgo the trappings of government in favor of a little freedom. Perhaps we can someday do the same. Thanks, Doctor Who!

Summer is in full swing and it’s time for a cigar! Okay, this summer it seems it’s either crazy hot or raining buckets. What is the discerning outdoor cigar smoker to do? Sit in the garage? The wife will still nag about smoke magically seeping through the walls. Light up in the car? That’s not very comfortable. Puff away under an umbrella? You get the idea. On a hot and humid day or a really wet day it’s extremely difficult to enjoy a fine cigar in the great outdoors. Or it was…

Today you can smoke a stogie outside, rain or shine, in complete comfort! My good friend, Russell Wilder, has raised the bar even higher by adding a beautiful and spacious covered outdoor deck over at Top Shelf Cigars!

Check out this beauty!

Here’s the view from inside:

Take another look; cool and comfortable!

The deck, just like everything else Russell does, is top-notch. The whole area is furnished with comfortable chairs and plenty of tables for all your needs. You’ll find ashtrays, cutters, and lighters ready to go. Unlike at some other tobacco “shops,” on-site cigar enjoyment is actively encouraged here. Stop by and try something new like a Perdomo Champagne Sun Grown or a tried and true favorite like an Ashton VSG. Whatever you want, you’ll find it in the area’s largest and most luxurious humidor.

When fall ushers in cooler days, the deck will be the perfect place to enjoy a smoke and a spiced beer. Should winter deliver a rare snow, the fun can go on in style. Top Shelf is now the home of the ultimate outdoor cigar venue!

Of course, to experience the Ultimate Ultimate experience, all one has to do is step inside – into the classiest smoke shop this side of Park Avenue. For an outline of what you can expect, check out my older Top Shelf story. But, again, don’t take my word for it. Stop in and see for yourself! Pay Gerald, Sarah, Tom, Matt, Jake, and Russell “Cigar Man” Wilder a visit. You’ll be glad you did.

The more time passes, the more I respect Jimmy Carter. I met the man once, about a decade ago. He was charming. He’s also very bright and very honest. The other day, in light of the Snowden/NSA affair and the complete breakdown of law in the U.S.A., President Carter admitted the painfully obvious, “America has no functioning democracy at this moment.” Read on: http://rt.com/usa/carter-comment-nsa-snowden-261/.

In related news there was a glimmer of freedom from behind the old Iron Curtain. Russia, now a haven for the politically oppressed, has granted residency to Mr. Snowden: http://rt.com/news/snowden-russia-kucherena-mills-914/. President Putin has refused to bow down to the illegal demands of the communist killers in Washington. You may recall earlier this summer that Hong Kong refused to go along with D.C.’s blatantly illegal scheme to arrest Snowden. All this adherence to the law must chaff Mordor horribly.

Lastly – not to be out corrupted by the fools in D.C., the ticks in merry old England made the news too! Do you remember the Lockerbie, Scotland bombing? It was December, 1988, just before Christmas. I was on a family vacation at Williamsburg, Virginia when the news came in. A Pan-Am 747 en route to New York was destroyed over Scotland by a bomb. The bomb was planted by Libyan terrorists. The plane was carrying a large number of students from Syracuse University.

The lead terrorist was convicted and imprisoned for life in the U.K. Several years ago the convict came down with terminal cancer or something. He supposedly only had weeks to live. In an act of “compassion” and at the behest of Col. Qaddafi, the British released the bomber back to Libya. He was greeted as a hero at home. He also lived on for years, not weeks.

This week the truth came out to little or no fanfare. Compassion had nothing to do with the release. The killer was freed in exchange for a 400 Million Pound arms deal with Qaddafi, arranged by the corrupt Tony Blair and Co. Read on: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10206659/Lockerbie-bomber-release-linked-to-arms-deal-according-to-secret-letter.html. Did you catch the 80 BILLION Pound banking deal?? Part of the deal involved 80 Billion pounds of Qaddafi’s being managed by banksters in London. This is why we have war – to make money for arms dealers and criminal bankers. What a way to honor the 270 Lockerbie dead. By the way, with Qaddafi dead now, I wonder how much of that money has been returned to the people of Libya? I’m guessing $0…

I have a special duo of non-news stories planned for the weekend. One involves my favorite cigar shop, the other an old Doctor Who episode. Here’s a little video teaser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5cC__bBM1A. Prepare yourselves…